Chapter 31.2

“It’s sweet,” the Er Bao said eagerly, taking a sip.

San Bao, though not yet adept at eating by himself, knew how to use a wooden spoon and bowl.

He clumsily scooped up the coconut milk, the spoon tilted. There was only half a spoonful on it, which he slowly put into his mouth.

Then he exclaimed, “Yummy!” His eyes widened. This clear liquid, like plain water, was delicious.

So, without needing prompting, San Bao started drinking by himself.

Seeing San Bao wanting to drink and noticing that a lot of the coconut milk had splashed out of his bowl, Ning Shu poured some more into his bowl.

San Bao showed his six little millet teeth and gave his mother a silly smile.

“Mother, can we go pick snails right after we finish eating?” Yi Bao, having finished gnawing on a piece of rib, remembered the arrangement he had made with his older siblings back at the old house.

“Yes, we’re going with Haiwen, there are still plenty of snails in the field. We’re going to pick them.” Er Bao chimed in.

“Sure, but I won’t be going to work this afternoon. I need to go to town. Be careful when you’re picking snails, follow your older siblings, don’t wander off, okay?” Ning Shu reminded them.

“Mother, if you’re going to town, can we take San Bao with us to pick snails? Can San Bao sit on the grass mat?” Yi Bao asked. “In the afternoon, Er Bao can watch over San Bao while I go pick snails.”

The Er Bao immediately objected, “No, I want to pick snails too.”

Yi Bao pouted, “You already picked them in the morning. I watched over San Bao in the morning, now it’s your turn in the afternoon.”

The Er Bao knew his older brother was right, but he still wanted to pick snails.

“Fine then,” he said reluctantly.

He was a obedient child; if his older brother said it was right, he would listen. Of course, even if his older brother was wrong, he would still listen.

“Both of you can go pick. In the afternoon, I’ll take San Bao.” Seeing that Lin Erbao was feeling down, Ning Shu suggested this.

She would put Three San Bao in the basket and take him to town.

San Bao weighing less than 15 catties, shouldn’t be too heavy to carry, right?

Upon hearing this, Yi Bao quickly asked, “Mother, are you taking San Bao to town?” His voice, still tender, carried a hint of envy.

Ning Shu replied, “Yes.”

“Mother, I want to go to town too.” Er Bal didn’t understand his older brother’s thoughts; he straightforwardly expressed his own desire.

“Mother, I’ve grown up so much, but I’ve never been to town.”

“Grown up so much”= five years old

Upon hearing his younger brother’s words, the eldest also looked at his mother with longing.

Ning Shu chuckled, “When we buy bicycles, I’ll take you to town. It’s too far for children to walk to town.”

“Mother, are we going to buy bicycles?” Yi Bao thoughts were diverted. Although he was young, he knew about bicycles.

n fact, Qinglin Bay Production Brigade is not remote. With Ning Shu’s speed, it only takes about two hours to walk from Qinglin Bay Production Brigade to the county town, which is roughly between 10 to 12 kilometers. It can be said that this village is relatively close to the county town.

“Yes, didn’t your father send a letter today? He sent bicycle tickets and money, so I’m going to town to take care of things.” Ning Shu didn’t treat them like children and didn’t hide anything from them.

On the contrary, she would tell the two children everything she did.

“My father is really a good person,” Er Bao praised.

Lin Guodong, who was far away in the army: Thank you.

When Yi Bao heard his mother mention his father, if it were before, he would have been hoping for his father to come back.

He wanted to tell his father that his mother didn’t care about them, ate a lot of meat herself, and only gave them a small piece.

But over the past twenty-plus days, Ning Shu had been giving them good food, eggs, milk, and even making new clothes for them.

Yi Bao no longer had his father in his heart.

So, when he heard his mother mention his father, his attention wasn’t on his father at all. Instead, he asked, “Mother, did you buy a bicycle? Will you take us to town on it?”

“Yes, but I bought a women’s bicycle, which can only carry one person, so Yi Bao and Er Bao will have to go separately.”

As for the San Bao, he could be put in the basket without any problem.

Ning Shu had never considered buying a men’s bicycle.

When she bought things, she naturally chose what she liked. First, it was what she liked, and then it was about practicality.

“I’ll go first.” – Er Bao quickly said

“I…” Yi Bao mouth was not as quick as the second child’s, but he didn’t admit defeat. “Rock, paper, scissors.”

“Okay,” Er Bao agreed.

Amidst the chatter of the two children, the youngest finished his bamboo tube porridge.

San Bao didn’t have a big appetite, and Ning Shu didn’t prepare much for him.

Anyway, he still had afternoon tea and fruits, so his stomach wouldn’t be empty.

After lunch, the two children carried a small basket and went to the old house to find Lin Haiwen and the others, while Ning Shu tidied up the house and put San Bao in the basket on her back, and then set out with him.

Many people saw Ning Shu carrying San Bao on her back along the way.

There was a certain glow in everyone’s eyes. Lin Guodong had sent a letter in the morning, and Ning Shu had set out in the afternoon.

People who had thought they would have to wait until the day after tomorrow had all lost their bets; they hadn’t expected her to be so impatient that afternoon.

However, the fact that Ning Shu could go to work in the morning had already surprised everyone to the point of dropping their jaws, so it seemed more normal that she didn’t go to work in the afternoon.

The 40-minute journey, when Ning Shu was walking alone, would not have felt tiring at all, but with San Bao on her back, it was a bit strenuous.

Her shoulders were sinking and sore.

So, after walking for a while, she took San Bao out and let her shoulders relax.

“Mother…” San Bao hugged his mother’s neck, kissed her on the face, and then looked at her with his dark eyes.

Ning Shu also kissed him on the face.

San Bao smiled, his smile not as bright as Er Bao, nor as shy as Yi Bao. His smile was clear and innocent.

Finally reaching the post office, she immediately saw Zhang Min.

“Comrade Ning…” Zhang Min saw Ning Shu still holding a child and asked curiously, “Comrade Ning, is this your son?” The child was wearing a gray old cloth shirt (long-sleeved T-shirt) and black old cloth open-crotch pants (diaper pants).

His hair was very black, with a few strands sticking up. He was fair-skinned, not chubby, but his little face was red, and he looked very spirited.

In this era, fair-skinned children were especially likable.

If this child was also dressed cleanly, he would be even more likable.

Compared to the thin and yellowish Yi Bao and Er Bao, although San Bao had been thin before, he was not dark.

It was probably because children’s skin is resistant to getting dark. And now, after drinking milk for over twenty days and eating eggs for over twenty days, his face had filled out, making him a very likable baby to hold.

“This is my Youngest.” Ning Shu introduced him while teaching San Bao, ” San Bao, say ‘Auntie.'”

“Ai…” San Bao obediently called out. ‘Auntie’ and ‘Ai’ sounded similar, and San Bao had learned the words ‘ Yi ‘ and ‘ Er ‘ very well from hearing everyone call the Yi Bao and Er Bao every day.

“Oh…” Zhang Min responded, “What a well-behaved child. Here, have some candy.” She took out two White Rabbit milk candies from her bag.

San Bao didn’t take them but instead shyly buried his head in his mother’s neck.

Ning Shu laughed, “He’s a bit shy. Zhang Jie, keep these for your nephew to eat. He hasn’t grown all his teeth yet, so he can’t eat candy.”

Seeing that San Bao clothes had pockets, a big one in front, she directly stuffed the candy into San Bao’s pocket.

“He can lick it even if he hasn’t grown all his teeth.”

Hearing her say that, Ning Shu didn’t refuse. Then, she put San Bao on the ground, lowered the basket, placed it in front of her, and then put San Bao inside.

“Zhang Jie, I need to make a call.”

Zhang Min said, “Go ahead.”

Ning Shu took out the letter and dialed the number on it. The other end picked up quickly.

“Hello, this is the county government. Who are you looking for?” It was a polite and courteous voice.

Ning Shu immediately said, “Comrade, hello, my name is Ning Shu. May I speak to Comrade Meng Jie, please?”

“Comrade Ning Shu, hello, I am Meng Jie. You are Guodong’s wife, right?” Meng Jie’s voice became enthusiastic when he heard Ning Shu’s name.

“Yes, Comrade Meng Jie, it’s me. Nice to meet you. I called to ask about the bicycles.” Ning Shu said.

Meng Jie said, “Guodong has called me and mentioned this matter. I have already talked to the director of the department store about the bicycles. The director of the department store called me a few days ago. The five bicycles allocated in October have arrived. One will be reserved for you. When do you plan to buy it? If you go to buy it, you can come here first to get a letter of introduction from me.”

This can avoid a lot of trouble.

Ning Shu said, “Thank you so much. By the way, Meng Comrade, I wanted to ask if there are women’s bicycles among the bicycles that arrived at the department store?”

“Huh?” This question caught Meng Jie off guard, and he really didn’t know.

Moreover, he hadn’t thought about this question before.

Besides, most people buy men’s bicycles, right? “Hold on, let me call and ask.

Call me back in two minutes.”

Ning Shu said, “Okay.”

While Ning Shu was making the call, San Bao, standing in the basket, looked around.

But San Bao was still young, didn’t remember things, and didn’t know the difference between here and the village.

San Bao is very well-behaved, easy to take care of.

When the two older siblings carry him, he doesn’t cry or make a fuss, especially when he’s with his mother.

So, when his mother was on the phone, he didn’t cry or fuss at all.

After Ning Shu finished her call, she saw San Bao playing by himself.

She smiled and poked his little cheek, saying, “San Bao, what are you looking at?”

San Bao, hearing his mother calling him, said, “Mom…”

Then he pointed outside, saying, “Go out… go out…” He wanted to go out and play.

Ning Shu took out the White Rabbit milk candy Zhang Min gave him from San Bao’s pocket and said, “Wait a moment, eat candy first.”

She held it herself, not letting San Bao have it, afraid he might swallow it.

San Bao licked the candy, and its milky fragrance made his eyes widen. “Delicious.”

San Bao grabbed his mother’s hand and continued licking the candy.

Seeing him enjoying the candy, Ning Shu didn’t bother him anymore.

After waiting for about two minutes, Ning Shu called Meng Jie again.

“Hello, is this Comrade Ning Shu?” Meng Jie answered the phone after one ring.

“Ning Shu, hello, it’s me, Ning Shu.”

“Comrade Ning Shu, hello. I inquired about the bicycles. The women’s bicycle you wanted arrived in August. The five bicycles in October were all men’s bicycles, and four of them have been sold. Only the one reserved for you is left. How about the women’s bicycle from August? If it’s okay, you can go to the department store to buy it at any time. If it’s not, you’ll have to wait until November when they reorder, and you can request a women’s bicycle then.”

Ning Shu said, “The one from August is fine, as long as it’s new and functional.”

Meng Jie said, “Okay, when will you come to the county town? When you come, come to my office to get the introduction letter. When you buy the bicycle at the department store, the director there will know that you are my friend.”

He and Lin Guodong were high school classmates. Although they didn’t attend the same university, their relationship has been good over the years.

After graduating from university, he joined the county government, while Lin Guodong was assigned to the army.

Although they are not in the same system, their relationship has always been good.

Moreover, Lin Guodong, who graduated from a military academy, has a wider social network than him.

So, for this former classmate and good friend, he is willing to help.

Ning Shu didn’t hesitate at all and said, “I’m coming now. I won’t wait for the whole afternoon.”

Meng Jie replied, “…Then come directly to the county government, and I’ll wait for you at the entrance.”

Ning Shu agreed, “Okay, I estimate it’ll take about an hour and a half.”

Meng Jie assured her, “No problem.”

After ending the call with Meng Jie, Ning Shu greeted Zhang Min and then set off to the county town with San Bao on her back.

It was only 1:30 p.m., so she would arrive before 3:00 p.m. With a bicycle, the two-hour walk would only take 20 to 30 minutes.

She could ride the bike back early.

However, the journey would still take over an hour, and her shoulders were really sore.

Also, since she was going to the county government to find Meng Jie, she couldn’t go empty-handed.

She and Lin Guodong were now married, and what Lin Guodong owed in favors was no different from what she owed.

Besides, it was necessary to thank someone who had helped.

But what should she give?

No, today she was going directly from the town’s post office to the county town.

It wouldn’t be appropriate to carry something to give away.

So she decided not to bring anything today and to give something another day when she went to the county town.

Ning Shu finally arrived at the county government before 3:00 p.m.

As soon as she arrived, she saw a tall, thin young man in a white shirt and black pants standing at the entrance of the county government.

Ning Shu walked towards him.

The young man also noticed Ning Shu.

The comrade looked like he was glowing in the bright sunlight. She had her hair tied up in a ponytail and was wearing a gray plain cloth jacket (long-sleeved T-shirt) and black pants (straight-leg pants), holding a little boy in her arms.

“Hello, are you Comrade Meng Jie?” Ning Shu felt that the man was dressed so decently, he should be from the office. Also, since he was facing outside, he was obviously waiting for someone to arrive from outside.

If he was waiting for someone from inside the county government, he would be facing towards the county government.

Meng Jie had said he would be waiting at the entrance of the county government, so she asked if he was Meng Jie.

“Are you Comrade Ning Shu?” Meng Jie didn’t recognize Ning Shu’s voice.

In fact, the phone quality in this era was limited, and the voice over the phone was quite different from the real person’s voice.

He could tell it was Ning Shu because of the timing and because she immediately asked if he was Meng Jie.

“Yes, I’m Ning Shu. Comrade Meng, I’m really sorry to trouble you,” Ning Shu smiled.

“No trouble at all. Guodong and I are friends. These are just small matters. Here’s a letter of introduction,” Meng Jie handed the letter to Ning Shu and continued, “Guodong is out there defending the country. If Comrade Ning encounters any issues, you can come here and find me.”

“Thank you so much, Comrade Meng. I’ll keep that in mind,” Ning Shu didn’t refuse. What if she really needed help later? Since the relationship was already established, she wouldn’t push it away.

“You’re welcome. I have other matters to attend to, so I’ll head in first,” Meng Jie didn’t linger with Ning Shu.

There was a lot to do at the county government every day.

“In that case, I won’t disturb you,” Ning Shu was eager to buy the bike.

Before buying the bike, she went to the post office to withdraw some money.

She hadn’t withdrawn money from the town’s post office earlier because she thought it wasn’t safe to carry 250 yuan on her at that time, especially with other people in the post office.

After withdrawing the money, Ning Shu hurried to the department store.

There weren’t many people in the department store.

Who would come to the department store for no reason nowadays?

Ning Shu didn’t know where to buy a bike, so she asked a salesperson, and finally found out where they were located. However, the bikes weren’t displayed outside, so she had to ask another salesperson. “Excuse me, is Manager Xu here?”

The salesperson was knitting a sweater. When she heard Ning Shu, she looked up, “What’s your business with Manager Xu?”

Ning Shu raised an eyebrow, “A relative from the county government recommended me to see Manager Xu. I have something to discuss with him, and I have a letter of introduction. Would you like to see it?”

As soon as she heard it was recommended by the county government, the salesperson’s attitude changed.

She became more enthusiastic, “Please wait a moment. Show me the letter of introduction, and I’ll take it to Manager Xu.”

Ning Shu didn’t wait long before seeing the salesperson and a middle-aged man in Zhongshan suit come out together.

When the middle-aged man saw her, he smiled and approached, “You must be Comrade Ning Shu, right? Meng’s relative?”